


Read My Lips

by coupleofdumbasses



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, POV Castiel, Songfic, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, i mean it like, i'm such a sap when it comes to these two ugh, sort of, whisper challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 19:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5468255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coupleofdumbasses/pseuds/coupleofdumbasses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"<em>Read my lips</em> was their favorite game since junior high. It had started as a mere time killer to clear the awkwardness the first time they happened to sit together on the school bus, but it soon became a habit, if not a ritual. It was the game that cemented their friendship through good and bad days. It was the game that helped them embrace, as the years passed, their first fluttering feelings. Pop-culture references, lame jokes, secrets… Every morning, every afternoon, they never failed to read each other’s lips while Dean’s walkman was blaring classic rock in their ears. From “May the force be with you” and “Will you let me copy your biology homework?” to “May I hold your hand?” and “Will you go out with me?”, who would have thought that a children’s game would come to hold such a special place in their life?</p><p>Admittedly, they sometimes had been too busy kissing to do anything else on the ride home. And when Dean had started driving them to school, their playing sessions had, of course, become less frequent. But they never grew out of it, not even now that they were in college and well on their way to adulthood."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Read My Lips

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the Whisper Challenge. The idea actually came to me after I watched Adam Rose and Osric Chau’s [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeKQZbQIyVU).
> 
> Thanks to the wonderful [Nine](http://mynameisnine.tumblr.com), who tracked my mistakes and helped me give more substance to this text. May flowers and Chris Evans clones grow wherever you step.

“Hey Cas, read my lips?”

“Not now, Dean, I’m studying.” Despite the fond smile that question inevitably brought to his face, Castiel’s voice was stern. Hunched over his black corner desk, he kept his eyes on the pages filled with his neat, narrow handwriting. “And so should you, you know.”

“Oh… Yeah, you’re right, never mind.”

That made him frown. Dean Winchester was _not_ the kind to give up easily, particularly when he was in a playful mood. If he set his mind to something, he could be as tenacious as a five year-old, untiringly pleading, teasing, pouting until things went his way.

Something was wrong.

Castiel peered over his shoulder. All jeans and plaid in true Winchester fashion, his boyfriend was lying propped up on his elbows on their joined beds. He was staring down at one of the books scattered on the sheets, but it was clear he wasn’t reading. He was fiddling with the corner of a page, with a dejected look that made Castiel wonder.

What was going on in that beautiful brain of his? Was he anxious because of the midterms coming up? Was he convinced that he was going to fail? Not that it would be a surprise. Even after working on himself for years, Dean was still struggling to see his own worth, especially in academics.

All things considered, perhaps playing _Read my lips_ wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

He left his chair with a feigned sigh. “Actually, I could use a break.”

The light he saw in Dean’s eyes when his head shot up? Yes, that was definitely worth interrupting his studying.

All the books were immediately pushed to the floor to make room on the bed. Dean didn’t notice the mock glare Castiel gave him though, because he turned to the wall to select a tape from his cassette collection. As Castiel sat down cross-legged on the sheets, he felt a wistful smile tug at the corner of his mouth.

 _Read my lips_ was their favorite game since junior high. It had started as a mere time killer to clear the awkwardness the first time they happened to sit together on the school bus, but it soon became a habit, if not a ritual. It was the game that cemented their friendship through good and bad days. It was the game that helped them embrace, as the years passed, their first fluttering feelings. Pop-culture references, lame jokes, secrets… Every morning, every afternoon, they never failed to read each other’s lips while Dean’s walkman was blaring classic rock in their ears. From “May the force be with you” and “Will you let me copy your biology homework?” to “May I hold your hand?” and “Will you go out with me?”, who would have thought that a children’s game would come to hold such a special place in their life?

Admittedly, they sometimes had been too busy kissing to do anything else on the ride home. And when Dean had started driving them to school, their playing sessions had, of course, become less frequent. But they never grew out of it, not even now that they were in college and well on their way to adulthood.

“Alright.” Turning away from their old stereo, Dean mirrored his position and scooched closer so their knees were touching. “Here you go,” he said with a smile, reaching to put the headphones on Castiel’s ears first, as they always did.

“Wait.” Castiel caught his hands in mid-air. That smile was strained, and he didn’t like it. At all.

Determined to lift his boyfriend’s spirits, he slid the headphones over Dean’s floppy hair instead, leaning down to kiss the tip of his nose. “I want to go first, for once.”

A genuine sparkle glinted in his beautiful green eyes. “As you wish.”

Dean contorted himself to press play and adjust the volume. “All set!” he shouted over the muffled music coming from the headphones. It was loud enough for Castiel to recognize the first notes of _Thunderstruck_ —good choice, AC/DC really was the best band for this game. “Shoot,” he added, already staring at Castiel’s mouth, serious and focused.

That was odd. He was usually acting quite cocky at this point, convinced he was going to win—and rightly so.

More concerned by the second, Castiel cleared his throat and started at normal speed, his voice low. “Don’t worry, you’re going to do great on midterms.”

Dean frowned at his lips like they had personally offended him. “Come again?”

This time, he enunciated clearly.

“ _No worries_ ,” Dean tried.  “ _Go away… you do raids on my—_ no _on m… med school_? What??”

Castiel huffed a laugh, shaking his head. “Not that bad,” he conceded with a wave of his hand, since he couldn’t be heard. He schooled his face back into a neutral expression and repeated slowly his words of reassurance.

Dean’s features hardened instantly. “ _Don’t worry_ , something something _your grades_ and I’m guessing the last part is _midterms_ , right?” At Castiel's nod, he yanked the headphones off with a pout. “Oh man, why d’you have to make it about the exams? You’re lucky I could watch your pretty mouth form words all night because talk about a buzzkill.”

“Am I not allowed to help my worrying boyfriend?”

Castiel was met with a confused frown. “What?”

“I’m only speaking the truth, Dean. You’re much smarter than you think you—”

“No, seriously, _what?_ You think I’m nervous about midterms?”

“Well, you do look a bit off tonight. And on edge. What else would it be about?”

A range of emotions flicked through Dean’s eyes—surprise, shame, and was that a hint of fear? He licked his lips and looked down, hands restless in his lap. “It’s nothing. I’m, uh, I’m okay. Just… tired, I guess. With the studying and all, I mean. But I’m not stressing out about midterms—well I am, but no more than everyone else. I’m not gonna get my panties in a twist like last time, alright? Promise.”

Castiel watched him in silence. Dean wouldn’t be fidgeting so much if there wasn’t more to it than that. But he knew better than to push him into admitting what was truly bothering him. He would open up when he was ready.

“Okay. Your turn, then.”

Dean shot him a grateful look that he quickly played off with a wink. “Let’s see if you can compete with Master Po, Grasshopper.”

Castiel couldn’t help a small smile. _That_ was more like his Dean.

 _Thunderstruck_ wasn’t over yet when he slipped the headphones on. He braced himself for his usual inability to read lips, but when Dean spoke, all he needed was a look to his pointed finger to know what he was saying.

Rolling his eyes, Castiel immediately pulled off the headphones. “ _Never take a joint from a guy named Don_.”

His boyfriend blinked and let his hand fall back between their knees. “Dude, since when are you so good at this?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Dean. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that, ever since that party in sophomore year, you felt the need to give that wise advice to the gang at least once a week for the rest of high school, then started all over again with Sam. And you trying to make me guess that very sentence every other time we play barely helped, too.”

Dean scoffed. “So what, you calling me an old fart?”

“I’m not, as a matter of fact. I would much rather use the word ‘senile’. Or ‘decrepit’, maybe.”

That earned him a jab in the ribs, which could have very well escalated into a tickle fight if Castiel hadn’t put a stop to it.

“I believe it’s my turn. The score is 1-1 for now, so I might actually have a chance to win tonight.”

“You wish, Crapstiel.”

Castiel quirked an eyebrow. “Is that the best you can do? I must say I’m disappointed, Dean.”

“Shut up. My puns are awesome and you know it.”

 

~~~

 

The music turned out to be a mixtape. AC/DC was followed by Focus, Metallica, Iron Maiden, The Darkness—a strange obsession of Dean’s—, Guns N’ Roses and Molly Hatchet. After years of playing that game with Dean, Castiel had built a solid knowledge of old rock bands, but sadly he couldn’t say the same about his lip reading skills. He was losing 6-1, and counting. He couldn’t care less, though. _Read my lips_ had never been about winning. His stomach was aching from laughing so much, and that was all that mattered.

What he couldn’t wrap his head around, however, was why Dean wasn’t gloating right now. Even more than a sore loser, his boyfriend had always been an insufferable winner. So why was he looking so tense again? Somewhere along the last two rounds, he had stopped bantering and started worrying his lower lip, his mind obviously wandering.

“Dean, if you’re getting tired of playing, we can stop.”

“ _No!_ ” He cried out, eyes wide open. He let out a shaky laugh. “No,” he said again in a softer voice. “I mean, the tape’s almost over, so let’s just have a last one, alright?”

Since Castiel reluctantly nodded, Dean bent forward to carefully put the headphones over his ears once more. “You should turn it up. This one is, uh, it’s acoustic.”

Indeed, Castiel could still hear him perfectly over the soft guitar, a stark contrast with the hard riffs they had been listening to for more than half an hour.

The singing part had already started when he leaned to the side to reach the volume button. As a gentle male voice filled his ears, he took a moment to enjoy it.

 

_Where things go wrong_

_We’ll make them right_

_Thinking of you, angel eyes_

 

That last line made him smile—Dean called him ‘angel’ sometimes.

“This is nice. Who is it?” he asked, pulling the headphones off one ear. “The voice sounds vaguely familiar.”

“It’s David Lee Roth. Van Halen.”

“Oh, is it? It’s much quieter than what you usually listen to from this band. I don’t think I’ve ever heard this song before.”

“Yeah, well, it’s an old demo, never made it to their albums for some reason. Now c’mon, put the thing back on before it’s over.”

Castiel obliged, but Dean just kept his mouth open a few moments, before he hung his head and spoke briefly to his lap. When he looked up expectantly, Castiel squinted in confusion.

“Oh, was that it?” he asked, raising his voice over the song. That had been a very short sentence, which meant it had to be pop-culture related. “You do realize you need to face me if you want me to guess what you’re saying, don’t you?”

He saw rather than heard his boyfriend chuckle. Even though he swallowed and licked his lips, Dean didn’t wait as long to speak this time, and Castiel tracked every movement of his mouth, head tilted in concentration as he tried to recognize the sounds it formed. Here, teeth grazing the lower lip—that meant there was an F in there, didn’t it? “ _X-Files rules_?” he ventured.

Dean burst out laughing in the most beautiful way. Head thrown back, he grabbed Castiel’s arms as his whole body shook with hilarity. Struggling to breathe, he said something—he was taunting him, probably. Whatever it was, Castiel certainly didn’t mind. The tension in Dean’s shoulders had eased, which was enough of a reward.

The hands left his arms only to cup his face, and Dean gave him a quick peck on the mouth. He pulled back a little, his eyes softly crinkling in the way Castiel adored so much.

 

_And I want to tell you_

_But I can't find the words to say_

The voice in his ears was as warm as the fingers gently stroking his neck. He was feeling good, even slightly swaying to the lulling melody. It was just the guitar now, which made it easier to focus when Dean spoke again a few moments later.

Rather than an X, the first syllable looked more like an A. Then, tip of the tongue just behind the teeth… L! That was an L!

What Castiel made out of it puzzled him still. “ _A… laugh… too_?” It didn’t make sense. The way Dean dipped his head down confirmed he was way off.

David Lee Roth started singing again, and the most peculiar thing happened then. As Dean said the words once more, the movements of his mouth seemed to coincide with the next lyrics, only slightly out of sync.

Stunned, Castiel just froze. By the time he registered that no, his eyes did not deceive him, Dean was repeating it over and over with a desperate look on his face.

“—ove you,” he finally heard as the song ended and _oh_ . That was… well, _new_.

If Dean’s sharp intake of breath was any indication, the sudden lack of music didn’t go unnoticed. He should say something, Castiel realized, his heart pounding erratically. Dean was waiting for a reaction, any reaction—his agitation made so much sense now.

The Han Solo line his boyfriend quoted so often came to mind. He considered saying it himself, because _of course_ he knew. That was hardly breaking news.

Nonetheless, he remained silent. The truth was he was feeling too emotional to joke right now. He never took offense at Dean’s inability to voice his feelings, but he couldn’t deny he had secretly hoped to hear those three words someday.

His tight throat wasn’t exactly helping either.

Dean eventually broke the silence. “Did you…?” No more than a whisper, yet it managed to save Castiel from whatever spell he was under.

“Yes.” Beaming, he nudged his nose against Dean’s, reached for the small roll of pudge over his waistband. “Yes, I did.”

A relieved laugh tickled his lips as the hands cupping his neck slid down around his shoulders in a tight embrace. “Sorry it took me all these years to say it back.”

The shame lacing his boyfriend’s voice made Castiel pull back, his brow furrowed. “Dean…”

“No, Cas. You tell me you love me all the time, and I can’t even do the same without a dumb children’s game. I just figured it’d be easier for me to finally get it out, y’know? I’m sorry, you deserve better than a lousy boyfr—”

“Dean Winchester, if you don’t shut up right this instant, I swear I’m throwing you out of this bed and making you sleep on the floor for the rest of the month.”

The threat was effective. Dean shot him a you-wouldn’t-dare look, adorable dimples forming around his pursed lips, but the twinkle was back in his eyes.

Castiel’s fingers ghosted along his sides. “You have nothing to apologize for. You told me thousands of times already. Just not with words.”

Dean cracked a shy smile—the very same he had on that school bus, the first time he suggested playing _Read my lips_.

“And for the record,” Castiel added, pressing their foreheads together, “ _X-Files rules_ too.”

**Author's Note:**

> The song is Van Halen's [Angel Eyes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8b_bq8Eueo).
> 
> Find it on [tumblr](http://coupleofdumbasses.tumblr.com/post/135545591527).


End file.
